Maternity units struggling to cope with obese women

Maternity services for obese women are not good enough and could even be putting mothers-to-be at risk, experts have warned.

Few trusts or clinics have all the specialist equipment they need to deal with complex deliveries or emergencies, a study by the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries found.

One in ten obstetric units also does not have operating theatre tables that are suitable for obese women.

While most have the right kind of delivery beds and blood pressure monitoring equipment, many do not have extra-wide chairs, theatre trolleys or ward beds.

In addition, 44 per cent of maternity units have no local guidelines for the care and management of pregnant women who are obese.

Its poll of UK services also showed obese pregnant women were not getting the right advice and assessments.

The Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries, an independent research group which is partly funded by the NHS, said it had teamed up with doctors to issue new guidelines to the NHS on treating obese mothers-to-be.

These cover issues such as what assessments, support and advice should be given to the women.

It has also asked services to ensure they have clear policies and the right resources in place.

The survey’s results have been published as the centre issued joint guidance with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advising that obese mothers-to-be with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more should not opt for home births. Instead, they should be referred to a hospital unit led by consultants.

Obese mothers-to-be are at higher risk of a wide variety of complications, including stillbirths, diabetes and pre-eclampsia.

They are also more likely to need caesareans and should therefore have assessments during pregnancy to see what special arrangements may have to be put in place.

Jo Modder, the centre’s clinical director for obstetrics, said that the NHS was doing its best but was struggling to cope in some places.

“I think the problem is obesity levels have been rising quickly and hospitals are trying hard to catch up,” she said.

“This is an issue that was not there to this extent five years ago. I think units are doing their best but they are struggling a bit.

“They have not had the opportunity to sit down and think about how to deal with this problem.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said the UK remained “one of the safest countries in the world to have a baby”.